Almost is Never Enough
by UntamableVixen
Summary: An NCIS/Hawaii Five-0 Crossover. Commander Steve McGarrett does not get what he bargained for when Special Agent Samantha Fielding enters his world after the death of their mutual friend.
1. Chapter 1

An NCIS/Hawaii Five-0 story

Almost is Never Enough

Chapter One

Life of the Party

 _Washington D.C._

 _NCIS Headquarters_

The shrill ringing of the telephone drew Samantha Fielding's attention away from the laughter and celebration. It was her birthday and her teammates had decided to throw an impromptu party in the break room on her behalf. Normally Samantha would allow a call that interrupted _family_ time to go to voicemail. However, this was a different circumstance. All day long she had been awaiting an annual phone call from someone incredibly special. This led her to eagerly snatch up her phone from the table and bring it directly to her ear without checking for the caller's identification.

"Special Agent Samantha Fielding." She practically sang into the phone.

"Samantha…" A man's voice said in reply. The tone in which her name was spoken suggested she was not going to like what she was about to hear.

"You may want to sit down for this, I'm afraid I have bad news."

From the voice alone Samantha was able to identify the caller as Joe White, a friend she had known for quite some time through her military service.

"Joe, what's going on?" She asked.

As she spoke she was approached by her team leader and once brother-in-law, Special Agent Gibbs. They made eye contact with one another and it was all Gibbs needed to determine that something was amiss.

"I hate to have to tell you this Samantha, but Commander Eisenhower Grant is dead." Joe explained.

Samantha inhaled sharply as if she had just received a sucker punch to the gut. Instantly her vision was blurred by sudden oncoming tears. If not for Gibbs she would have sank to her knees. Shaking like a leaf in the arms of her superior, she somehow found the ability to form words.

"You're certain?" She questioned Joe, her voice as unsteady as her legs.

By now the others in the room had caught on to the fact that Samantha was in a state of shock. Abby promptly turned down the music she had been playing for the occasion. Tony DiNozzo who was visiting with his daughter, bounced the toddler gently on his knee and looked on with concern. Ducky, Palmer, McGee, and even Malachi, who had been assigned to the team after Tony's departure, grew concerned about their colleague's swift change in behavior.

"As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow." Joe responded sorrowfully.

An overwhelming wave of nausea came over Samantha like a tsunami. By some miracle she managed to keep the birthday cake she'd just consumed from making another appearance.

Samantha buried her face into the collar of Gibbs's shirt as she listened to Joe provide details of the funeral arrangements for their fallen comrade. Unfortunately, Joe couldn't offer an explanation into how Commander Grant died over the phone. The call ended with Samantha agreeing to attend the funeral. Joe told her he'd pick her up at the Honolulu international airport when she arrived on the island.

When she was off the phone Gibbs guided her his Senior Field Agent into a chair. As soon as she was seated he crouched down in front of her at eye level.

"What happened?" He asked in an unusually soft tone.

Samantha was frozen in place as her mind began to process everything she'd just been told. It didn't seem possible that the friend she had known all her life was now gone.

"Sam." Gibbs spoke again, giving her hand a squeeze to snap her out of the trance she seemed to have fallen into.

Samantha felt his fingers tighten around her own and in response her eyes shifted into focus, making eye contact with him once again.

"Ike is dead." She told him in a hollow voice.

"Who is Ike?" Palmer asked innocently.

"A childhood friend of mine from my hometown." Samantha answered robotically.

"Come on, I'll take you home." Gibbs offered as he straightened up to his full height and gently hoisted her to her feet.

"I'm sorry about this everyone, thank you for doing all this." Samantha said to the group, referring to the party.

Abby came forth and gave Samantha a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Let us know if there is anything we can do." Abby told her friend.

Unable to speak any further from her state of shock, Samantha simply nodded.

In the car Gibbs graced Samantha with stoic silence. It wasn't unusual for him to be quiet, especially at a time like this. The entire way to her house he held her hand, a gesture she appreciated greatly considering she was moments from falling apart.

When they arrived at her home it was Gibbs who unlocked the door and led her inside.

"Get a bag packed, I'll give you a lift to the airport." He instructed.

Samantha obediently climbed up the stairs to her bedroom where she loaded a small suitcase with enough essentials for a few days away. She included a tasteful black dress for the funeral service. When she was through she went down to the living room where Gibbs was waiting.

"That all you're taking with you?" He asked upon seeing the size of her bag.

"You know I always travel light, besides I have plenty of necessities at the other house." She replied.

Samantha had a second property in Oahu which she inherited when her grandfather passed away several years back. She visited every now and then but not as often as she would have liked to.

"Okay, we'll stop by my place for a few things on the way." Gibbs decided as he rose to his feet.

"Listen, I appreciate you wanting to come but I'd rather you didn't. I'm sorry if that seems selfish." She said.

"You know how I feel about apologies." Gibbs replied simply, understanding her need to do this on her own.

The ride to the airport was a blur, not because of the way Gibbs drove but because Sam was preoccupied with reliving old memories of her dear friend. She trusted Joe White that Ike was gone but until she saw for herself she was holding out hope that he was either mistaken or misinformed.

Even though she denied his company on the trip to Hawaii, Gibbs remained at her side until it came time for her to board. The first flight would take her to LAX where she would take a connecting flight to Honolulu.

"Not too late to change your mind." He said as they embraced, hinting that he wanted to be there for her through the grieving process.

"I'll keep in touch." Samantha promised, indirectly giving him her final answer.

Although he didn't like being shut down, he accepted her response and let her go. Gibbs waited for the plane to take off before leaving the airport and going home.

* * *

 _Honolulu, Hawaii_

 _McGarrett Home_

Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, leader of the Five-0 task force in Honolulu, took a seat in one of the Adirondacks on the area of private beach in his backyard. At his feet was an ice cold six-pack of Longboard which Joe White had brought over. Currently Joe was on the phone, out of earshot from the Commander. Steve had an idea of who was on the other line even if he wasn't certain what was being discussed. A few minutes later Joe returned to occupy the empty chair beside Steve.

"Was that Sam again?" Steve asked as he reached down to retrieve a couple of beers, passing one of them to his former Commanding Officer.

"It was, called to let me know when the flight is expected to land." Joe replied as he took a drink.

Steve regarded the statement with a nod and took a long swig of beer.

Joe maintained the silence that followed, giving McGarrett the freedom to decide whether or not he wanted to open up about his loss. A beer and a half later, Steve finally spoke up.

"It's unfortunate that it takes a loss like this to bring people together." He began. "For years Ike has been trying to introduce me to this Sam person. Always wanted us all to be together, in the same place, at the same time because we were his Ohana." Steve explained.

"So why didn't it ever happen if it meant that much to him?" Joe wondered.

"It's the oldest story in the book isn't it, one or both of us failed to be available because of the job or some other obligation." Steve thought.

Joe was at a loss for words but he understood exactly how McGarrett felt. All too often people became too busy to spend a fair amount of time with their loved ones. It was one of many reasons why he married and divorced more than once.

There was another long stretch of silence during which the sun sank deeper into the horizon. Steve finished off his second beer and reached for a third.

"What's Sam like anyway, all I've heard is stories about the guy from Ike, but I don't really know what kind of man he is." Steve said, breaking the silence once again.

Joe chuckled softly, impressed by the fact that Steve was still ignorant about who Sam was. It didn't surprise him that Ike had kept the details of her identity a secret all these years, but it was amazing that he never slipped up even once.

"Oh, you're in for a treat. Sam is the life of the party, always full of surprises but the kind of person who would walk through fire for people whether they deserve it or not." Joe replied wisely.

"In that case I look forward to meeting him. I just wish it were under different circumstances." Steve sighed.

"Don't we all son, don't we all."


	2. Chapter 2

An NCIS/Hawaii Five-0 story

Almost is Never Enough

Chapter 2

I Will Remember You

 _Honolulu International Airport_

 _16 hours later_

Samantha was roused from her slumber when the wheels came down on the Island's runway. It was a relief to finally be awarded the opportunity to stretch her legs. As soon as she was allowed, she stood and retrieved her bag from the overhead compartment before making her way off the plane. The first place she visited was the caffeine dealer near the gate. When the coffee touched her lips, she felt herself officially awaken. From there she made her way to the lobby where she and Joe agreed to meet. When she arrived, she took a seat on a vacant bench.

While she was waiting, she sent Gibbs a text message letting him know she arrived safely. It was probably his least favorite form of communication but considering the time difference she didn't want to risk waking him. Of course, that was going on the assumption that he was even sleeping at all.

Almost immediately after she sent the message she looked up to find Joe coming toward her. By the time he reached her she was already on her feet.

"Aloha." He greeted her as he pulled her into a hug

"Aloha." She echoed softly.

Joe took her bag from her and together they left the airport. At the car, he stashed her bag in the back and opened the door for her.

"I realize you're going to have a lot of questions and I promise, you will get answers. But first let's get you settled." Joe said.

"Okay." Samantha surprised him by agreeing. Typically, she was stubborn and would have demanded to know what happened right away.

As he started the car, Joe simply assumed she was exhausted from traveling and therefore compliant. Either that or she had yet to fully accept what was going on.

The drive to her home in Kailua was shrouded in silence. Joe had expected as much after the few words they exchanged in the airport parking lot.

Once they were inside the home, Samantha offered Joe a beverage. The older man declined but that did nothing to prevent her from pouring herself a glass of bourbon. The place was currently empty except for the two of them. Normally there was a maid and groundskeeper on the premises, along with a rotating security staff to protect the fortune within. However, Samantha had requested they all take the day off so she could have privacy for at least a few hours.

"What happened?" She finally dared to ask as she and Joe strolled around the seemingly endless property behind the house.

"There were some complications during an extraction. Our position was compromised and Ike's identity was confused for someone else's. The rescue mission turned out to be a trap. We received falsified intel that led us right into it. Ike was taken hostage and endured hours of extreme torture for information he had no knowledge of. Once it was discovered that he wasn't who they were after, he was executed." Joe explained gently.

Samantha took a long sip of the bourbon in her hand and suddenly wished she'd elected to bring the entire bottle with her.

"Who is responsible for this?" She asked next.

"I blame myself," Joe stated firmly, but he knew that was not the answer she sought. "Have you ever heard of the name Wo Fat?"

"No." Samantha replied. She was confident that she'd never forget such a name if she had.

"Consider yourself lucky." Joe advised.

"What have you told the Grants?"

"As far as they're concerned they believe Ike was killed in a training accident."

Samantha shook her head and drained the remaining liquid from her glass in one sip. They reached the edge of the property where there was a staircase that led down the hillside to the private beach below. As they began to descend the stairs Samantha asked more questions

"Where are Ike's remains now?"

"Currently with the medical examiner." Joe told her.

Samantha drew in a deep breath as they came to the water's edge. "I want to see him." She exhaled the words in a rush.

Joe stared out at the horizon and sighed. He briefly considered advising against that. But he decided it would be a waste of his breath.

"I should warn you, you're not going to recognize him."

Samantha did not respond to that statement. She already accepted that reality when she heard of Ike's torture.

For a few minutes they were silent as the waves came crashing in. Samantha chewed on her bottom lip as she remembered surfing with Ike in this exact spot. Finally, she asked Joe one more question.

"Who was the intended target?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

Steve drank steadily throughout the night even after Joe left to go home. The Commander had hoped that doing so would lull him into a heavy slumber. Instead he spent almost all night tossing and turning, guilt-ridden over Ike's passing. When he finally passed out from exhaustion he fell into a fitful sleep during which he relived every terror filled moment that led up to Ike's final breath.

When he woke with a start, the sun was streaming through the curtains, the sweat soaked bed sheets clinging to his skin. Squinting against the offending light, Steve untangled himself and stood. Having done so as quickly as he had made his stomach lurch in protest and the room began to spin rather violently.

The Commander stumbled his way into the bathroom as fast as his shaking legs would allow. When he reached the toilet, he sank to his knees and heaved into the porcelain bowl. Although it did little to ease his raging headache, Steve felt slightly better. Even still he was in no hurry to face the day flushing the toilet, he shifted his body, settling down on the floor. In the bedroom, his phone pinged on the nightstand but he had no intention of retrieving it just yet. If he were to guess, it was probably Danny checking in on him, and he was certainly in no mood to speak to his partner even through text messages.

Steve took a few long, deep, breaths before taking his time in getting to his feet. He shuffled over to the shower and turned it on before making his way to the sink and brushing his teeth. While studying his reflection in the mirror he observed how damaged he truly was. The deep gash above his right eye had received stitches but it was still rather ugly. The same applied to the scrapes along his cheek. There were dark circles beneath his eyes that gave him a haunted appearance in addition to the alarming paleness of his usually tanned skin.

Disgusted with himself, Steve opened the medicine cabinet and opened the bottle of extra strength ibuprofen. He dry-swallowed a couple tablets, then stripped himself of his shorts and stepped into the shower. For a long while he stood with his back against the stream of water and his forehead resting against the cool subway tile.

Each time he closed his eyes for longer than what it would take to blink, images of the incident came at him in flashes that left him momentarily disoriented. It wasn't until after the water became cold that Steve cleaned himself up. He spent the entire time wondering how he was going to explain how Ike died to those who would question it.

Steve couldn't exactly expose the entire truth but he couldn't say that Ike was simply killed in action. It would feel like an insult to his memory and the sacrifice he made. This wasn't the first-time Steve had dealt with situations like this. However, this time it was different for him. Ike was like a brother who had literally saved Steve countless times. Regretfully, he had been unable to return the favor.

In the time that it took him to towel off and get dressed, Steve received a few more messages on his phone. One was from Joe, informing him that Sam had landed. There was a couple from Danny as he expected, and a voicemail from Max Bergman letting him know Ike's autopsy was complete. Steve didn't need to go over the results to know how Ike died but it was standard procedure that an autopsy be performed. Quickly he texted a reply, telling Max he'd come by later to hear his official report. From there Steve shoved his phone into the back pocket of his cargo pants and left the house. The Commander hopped into his truck and began driving without a destination in mind.

* * *

 _Medical Examiner's Office_

Max stood beside a steel slab where Ike's body lay motionless under a sheet. Samantha took a deep breath and held it in as the medical examiner reached up and removed the material from the victim.

Ike's face was swollen and bloodied to the point where he was unrecognizable. An ear was missing, torn forcefully from the side of his head. The other was charred but still attached, though only partially. His left eye was also missing, gouged out by a sharp tool. The right eye was swollen shut from the torture he endured. Even his lips were not unscathed. They were split and fat from being struck excessively.

Each finger and toe was broken, causing them to rest at unnatural angles. Samantha observed that he'd been burned in various places on his body. If not for his tattoos she would question if it was truly her old friend that lay before her. Seeing this for herself made her shift from being hopeful that it wasn't true, to angry that she had to bury yet another loved one.

"Dr. Bergman, may I have a moment alone with the deceased?" She asked Max politely without looking at him.

"Of course, Agent Fielding." Max returned to the adjoining office where Joe was waiting for Sam.

When she was alone, Samantha edged closer to the table and spoke softly to what remained of Ike despite his inability to hear her.

"You did not deserve this and I promise you I won't rest until whoever did this suffers as much as you did." Sam told the corpse.

"I loved you so much and now you'll never know, but I'll see you again someday. Until then, rest easy." She added.

She allowed herself one last look before leaving him. In the office, she requested a copy of Max's official autopsy report and left him with her contact information. From there Joe took her home where she attempted to rest but she was too haunted to sleep properly.

* * *

 _2 Days Later_

The sight of Ike's parents following closely behind their son's casket was heartbreaking. Judy, his mother, quietly wept into a handkerchief while her husband guided her along. Samantha marched behind them in her military dress uniform. She was not a blood relative but still considered family since the Grants were her Godparents. When they reached the plot where Ike was going to be buried, they took their seats. Samantha silently marveled at George Grant's ability to stay rigid and still at a time like this. It wasn't until he got the folded flag that he lost all control of his emotions. This wasn't the first time the Grants had lost a child. In the early '90's Ike's younger sister Amelia succumbed to Leukemia. Now it was just the two of them.

As the ceremony was coming to an end Samantha locked eyes with the man who had given the Grants the flag. She did not recognize him but he stood at attention beside Joe White, wearing the rank of a Lieutenant Commander. Samantha broke eye contact with the stranger when the taps began and she didn't bother to look back when it was over for she had begun to shed tears herself after losing the battle to stay strong.

Steve felt a heaviness in his chest when it came time to present the Grants with the flag and make his apologies to them. The hardest part about meeting their eyes was knowing he had lied to them. The Grants were made to think that Ike's death was the result of an accident. It was easy enough to make them believe it because they elected not to view his remains. However, it was an insult to his memory in Steve's opinion. At the same time, it was safer for his family to receive an explanation they wouldn't question.

Throughout the ceremony, Steve wondered who was sitting beside Judy Grant, holding her hand. As far as he was aware their daughter had passed away a long time ago and Ike never mentioned having another sister. Now wasn't exactly the time for introductions though, so he settled on waiting for a more reasonable time to ask.

When the ceremony was over Steve turned to his former commanding officer.

"I'll catch up with you at the reception." Steve told him before making his way across the grounds to visit his own father's grave for an overdue visit.

* * *

 _Samantha Fielding Mansion_

 _Kailua_

Samantha had offered to host the reception at her own home. At first Ike's parents had declined the offer. They didn't want her to go through the trouble but she insisted upon it. Not only did she have the space for the mourners, she also wanted to give the Grants one less task to worry about. They had already been through enough after burying their only son and last remaining child.

When the ceremony ended, she went straight home where she quickly let her hair down and changed from her Marine Corps dress uniform to a black knee-length dress. From there the federal agent went down to the kitchen to make sure the caterers had everything they needed.

The crowd of mourners who attended the funeral services began to arrive shortly thereafter. A large number of them were military, friends that Ike had made throughout his career in the Navy. A few extended family members from the mainland had made the long journey to say goodbye as well. Finally, Ike's parents arrived with Joe White who had been kind enough to offer to drive them for the day. He felt that it was the least he could do considering his orders are what got their son killed.

While conversing with Ike's cousin who idolized him, Samantha detected a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. A glance in that direction indicated that Joe was signaling to her from across the room. She observed that he was not alone. The stranger she'd seen him with earlier was at his side once again. Sam gave Joe a brief nod and turned her attention back to the young man in front of her.

"Jason, will you excuse me? I promise we'll continue this conversation later." She said kindly.

"Okay." The teenager replied.

Samantha gave him a tight smile before making her way across the room to where Joe stood.

* * *

Steve had failed to notice from the address that he was given earlier that he was going to be pulling up to the home of Hollywood royalty. The mansion that closely resembled a castle was once owned by Frank Sinatra's greatest competition. Steve had never physically been inside before but had seen photographs of the interior in magazines. Upon entering through the front gates where security greeted him, he parked his Silverado where he was directed to do so. Once inside the mansion, he scanned his surroundings, impressed with the architecture and artwork. He made his rounds, shaking hands with the military buddies he had in common with Ike. While he was reminiscing about SEAL training with a few of his teammates Joe found him and pulled the Commander aside.

Steve willingly broke away from the group of fellow SEALs.

"You didn't tell me your friend was a relative of Mack Fielding." Steve said.

"It wasn't my story to tell. Speaking of though, I think it's time you met Sam." Joe said while simultaneously waving someone over.

Steve turned around as a woman was approaching. It took him a moment to recognize her without the uniform. She was the same woman who sat with the Grants at the ceremony. She was undeniably beautiful then but the uniform didn't do her any justice.

"You summoned me?" She said to Joe with a tone of sarcasm.

Joe chuckled and patted Steve on the back.

"Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett, I think it's about time you meet NCIS Special Agent Samantha Joann Fielding." Joe said.

Steve and Samantha reached out to one another and shook hands.

"Samantha." Steve raised an eyebrow as it dawned on him that she was the elusive _Sam_ in Ike's life.

"Steve McGarrett, it's nice to finally put a face to the name," Samantha told him. "Ike spoke highly of you." She added for clarification.

"Likewise." Steve replied, while throwing an annoyed look in Joe's direction.

"Is there a problem?" Sam asked curiously.

"You're not exactly what I was expecting." Steve replied.

"I don't follow." She responded while crossing her arms.

"Our good friend Commander Grant had this poor bastard believing you were a man. I may have played along." Joe explained.

Samantha surprised Steve by laughing in response. A few of the SEALs standing nearby must have overheard the conversation because they joined in the laughter at Steve's expense.

"Don't take it personally _Smooth Dog_ , Grant had us all believing that _Major Brat_ was one of the guys until we met her too." An officer named Whitman chimed in.

"I am one of the guys, Whitman." Samantha stated firmly.

"Come on, you know what I mean."

"Any particular reason Ike would do that?" Steve asked.

"I never found out," Samantha shrugged. "But I have my theories."

"Which we can discuss later," Joe cut in. "Right now there's something more important we need to talk to you about."

"Can't this wait?" Samantha asked, implying that it wasn't a good time to abandon her guests.

Steve watched as Joe leaned in and whispered a response into her ear. Whatever he said, Steve didn't hear it but he saw the change in Samantha's expression.

"Come with me." She decided.

Steve and Joe followed her to the opposite wing of the house.

She led them into an incredibly large room that contained a grand piano, a drum set, a series of microphones, and various other pieces of equipment and musical instruments. Steve realized that he was standing in the middle of an elaborate recording studio.

"This was my grandfather's place, I inherited it and everything in it when he passed." Samantha explained upon reading his expression.

"Mackenzie Fielding was your grandfather?" Steve asked for confirmation.

"You catch on quick, Commander," Samantha teased. "I take it you're familiar with his work."

"Who isn't?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"Good point, but I didn't invite you here to impress you. This room is soundproof." Samantha took a seat on the piano bench and gestured to a pair of stools that were nearby.

"Now, what do you have to talk to me about?" She asked.

Steve and Joe followed her lead and took a seat.

"I thought you might like to hear what Steve had to say about what happened." Joe began.

Samantha turned her attention to the younger Lieutenant Commander in front of her.

It was a long story but Samantha listened from start to finish without interrupting him. Steve began by giving her background information on who Wo Fat was and what he was after.

When he revealed to her that he was the intended target, she felt her stomach twist and her throat become tight. Every muscle in her body tensed up as fresh tears burned at her eyes. Every part of her wanted to make him experience what Ike had been through. She wanted to spit in his face and scream profanities at him until she was out of breath.

What prevented her from acting on her emotions was her own mother's voice in her ear, reminding her to be a respectful lady.

Steve finished by apologizing and assuring her that Wo Fat was no longer a threat because he put the man behind bars himself. This piece of knowledge did not seem to comfort her in the least.

As she wiped away her tears, she abruptly got to her feet. Steve and Joe stood on ceremony.

"Stay away from me." She told Joe as he took a step toward her.

Then her eyes shifted to Steve and she appeared beyond disgusted to be in his presence. That look alone gave him the impression that if he dared to go near her she'd become lethal.

When she left the room, Steve turned to his mentor with an expression of deep concern for this woman he barely knew.

"I've seen that look only a handful of times. Take my word for it, it's best to give her some space. She'll come around when she's ready." Joe explained.

Steve doubted that, but Joe knew her better than he did.

Joe led the way out of the studio and Steve followed, closing the door behind him.


End file.
